r/castboolits • u/Feeling_Title_9287 • 13d ago
Rifle 38-55 for long range shooting?
By any chance does anyone here use a 38-55 for long range shooting? 600-1,000 yards
I'm looking to get an original 1875 action Ballard rifle for either Quigley 2027 or 2028 and I was wondering would 38-55 stand a chance from 350 to 805 yards?
1
u/EllinoreV13 12d ago
High rise tang sights and big heavy bc, at that point forget the smallest group, and go with a mostly small group and really good ballistics, I think noe offers some big round nose and spitzers for them, but I also find lymans data and bullrts to be pretty spot on
1
u/Severe-Cow-8646 12d ago edited 12d ago
Im shootin' 38-55 these days. Its gonna have a rainbow trajectory for sure. Issue im running into is getting velocity high enough to stay supersonic at 200 yards. Im only shooting 200 and 250 grain bullets and the transonic zone is C really telling on them. So its either start at subsonic velocities to avoid the super to sub sonic transition or start out with enough velocity to remain super sonic at the target.
In your case with that antique rifle id keep my loads subsonic at the muzzle to avoid this issue. Even loaded with blackpowder, the common muzzle velocity of a 250 grain bullet is circa 1300. You wont push heavier bullets at that speed for sure. Given the age of your gun id definitely avoid any smokeless powder loads.
2
u/Antiquus 12d ago
38-55 would have a helluva drop at 350 yards, and you'd be crazy to try bumping energy up in something with 1875 metallurgy, so you'd be stuck with 1875 load levels. A quick check shows over 120" of drop.